Yoga Shows Benefit For Breast Cancer Survivors

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Yoga is rapidly gaining in popularity here in the United States and, according to a report in The Journal of Clinical Oncology, it may have a role in helping in chronic diseases.

The latest findings suggest it may help with the fatigue and inflammation in breast cancer survivors.

Researchers at Ohio State randomly assigned 200 survivors to receive either 3 months of twice-weekly, 90-minute yoga classes or to get no special intervention. Women who were in the yoga group were also encouraged to perform yoga at home in addition to the classes. The results were not immediately felt but 3 months after treatment the yoga group's fatigue was significantly lower and the more frequent the yoga sessions were, the less fatigue.

Blood tests to look at inflammation also showed improvement.